Stem winding and setting watch



(HodeU/ s Sheets-Sheet 1.

N. SILBERBERG. STEM WINDING AND SETTING WATCH. I No. 501,108. Patented July 11, 1393 (IodaL) 3 "Sheets-4110M; 2.

N. SILBERBERG.

} STEM WINDING AND SETTING WATCH. No. 501,108. Patented July 11, 1893.

(1104121.) '3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

N. SILBERBERG.

STEM WINDING AND SETTING WATCH. No. 501,108. Patented July 11, 1893.

FIG-.8.

W/T/YESS5S: IIVVE/VTOR:

4% 4 1 A; WW4

UNITED STATES NATHAN SILBERBERG,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF JASSY, ROUMANIA.

STEM WINDING AND SETTING WATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 501,108, dated July 11, 1893.

Application filed March 12, 1891. Serial No. 384,801. (ModeL) Patented in Switzerland September 22, 1890,11'0. 2,657.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NATHAN SILBERBERG, a subject of the King of Roumania, residing in Jassy, Roumania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stem WVinding and Setting Mechanism for Watches, (which invention has been patented in Switzerland, No. 2,657, dated September 22, 1890,) of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to stem-winding and stem-setting watches, and aims to provide certain improvements in the stem-winding and stem-setting mechanism, its principal object being to automatically prevent overwiuding of the spring.

To this end in carrying out my invention I provide mechanism whereby the winding mechanism is automaticallylocked in engagement with the main spring during the winding, and automatically disengaged therefrom when the winding is completed.

In the accompanying drawings whichillustrate the preferred form of my invention, Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of the main plate of the watch works showing a portion only of the mechanism. Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the winding mechanism in the normal position, that is, out of engagement with both the spring-gear and the hand-setting gear. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the winding mechanism in engagement with the main spring-gear; and Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the winding mechanism in engagement with the hand-setting gear. Fig. 5 is a separate view of the yoke and its pinions. Fig. 6 is a side elevation thereof looking from the left. Fig. 7 is a Vertical section thereof on the line 77. Fig.8 is a face view of the yoke alone, and Fig. 9 is a face view of its washer.

Referring to the drawings, let A indicate the stem-arbor, g the spring winding gear, D the main spring, j the hand-setting gear, Zthe yoke carrying the winding gear, and 7c the lever for manipulating the latter.

I will now describe in detail the preferred form of my invention, referring first to Fig. 1, in which a represents a recess in the main plate of the watch works. In the recess a is a wheel B fixed on the main spring-arbor and having one tooth which engages with a camwheel 0 in such manner that the latter is moved the space of one tooth with each turn of the wheel B. The cam-wheel O is provided with a cam 12, and with a shoulderbiwhich latterabuts against a stop-pin b when the main spring is in the completely wound position, thereby preventing further rotation of the wheel C, and consequently, by reason of the wheel B, further winding of the main spring. A locking-lever c is fulcrumedin the recess a with its tailin proximity to the wheel (1, the cam b of which engages the tail of thelever as the main springis wound up and causes it to shift to what will be called the unlocked position. A spring CZ bears against the other end of the stop-lever c tending to force it toward the locked position. A handle or link 8 is coupled to the outer end of the lever 0 and projects thence outwardly from the watch case in order to permit the manipulation of the lever by hand when desired. The outer end of the lever c is provided with a nose 0' which engages with the teeth of a boss e which is fastened to a controlling lever k pivoted on the stud M, as best seen in Figs. 2, 3 and 4.. A spring f acts against the boss 6 of the lever 70, tending to force the latter toward the normal or initial position, which is the position assumed when the winding mechanism is out of engagement with both the main springwinding gear 9 and the hand-setting gear j. The stop-lever c by engaging the tooth of the boss 6 serves to hold the latter and the lever 76 in either the winding or the hand-setting positions according to which tooth of the boss the lever c is in engagement with.

Referring particularly to Fig. 2, g represents the gear 011 the main spring-arbor for winding the spring, while j is a gear meshing with the hand-driving gear 2'. The winding gear consists of a gear g mounted on a studscrew a, and meshing with the crown-gearg carried by the stem-arbor A. Pivoted on the screw-stud a, beneath the gear g is a yoke Z which is movable on its pivot and carries a pinion g which meshes with pinion g and is driven by the latter. When the yoke Z stands in the normal position,the pinion g is out of engagement with and midway between the gears g and j, so that if the stem-arbor A is rotated, themotion thereby communicated to the pinion will not affect the mechanism of the watch, but when the yoke Z is moved to ICO pan/x bring the pinion g into engagement with the main spring-gear g the rotation of the stem w ll serve during the meshing of the gear to w nd the main spring. This is termed the winding position. \Vhen the yoke Zis moved 1n the opposite direction, the pinion g will mesh with gearj, and as the stem is turned the hands of the watch willbe rotated. This is called the setting position.

In orderto control the position of the winding mechanism, the controlling-lever 7a is provided, and the yoke Z is constructed with an arm Z for engagement with the lever 7c, and an arm Z against which a light spring ZL acts tending to shift the yoke Z toward the main spring-gear 9 A stop-pin m in the path of the arm Z serves to limit the motion of the yoke Z under the action of spring Zt. To hold the yoke Z in the normal position against the tension of the spring h, thelever Zr is provided with a tooth near its hub, which tooth projects into the path of the arm Z of the yoke when the lever 7c is in the initial position shown in Fig. 2, and thus prevents the movement of the yoke. This is the position shown in Fig. l, and in this position of the lever 7c the nose 0 of the stop-lever c rests on the blunt tooth of the boss e of thelever 7c. XVhen it is desired to wind the watch, the outer end of the lever 7i}, which end projects outside of the watch-case, is turned outwardly untilthe nose 0 of the lever c snaps behind the blunt tooth of the boss 6 and locks the lever 7: against the tension of its springf. This is called the winding position of the lever, and is shown in Fig. 3. By this movement of the lever, its tooth Zois removed from the path of the arm Z of the yoke Z, permitting: the latter to move under the force of spring h until its arm Z strikes the stop-pin m, in which position the pinion g is in engagement with the spring-gear g whereupon on rotating the stem-arbor A, motion will be. transmitted through the intermediate gears to the main spring, and the latter may be wound. As the winding continues, the cam-wheel O is rotated by the tooth of the wheel B until its cam b acting against the tail of the lever c shifts the latter until its nose 0 disengages the blunt tooth of the boss act the lever k, which it does as the spring reaches the completely rewound position. hen the lever 7c is thus released, its spring f restores it to the initial or normal position,and in doing this the tooth 70' of the lever acts on the cam-like end of the arm Z of the yoke Z, and owing to the great power of the spring f relatively to the spring h, forces the yoke Zto move on its axis to the normal position, thus drawing the pinion g out of the spring-gearg This movement is assisted by the action of the intermeshing teeth of the pinion and spring-gear, since as the cam-wheel O is stopped when its shoulder b strikes the stop-pin b the main springgear g is also stopped, and any further attempt at rotation of the pinion g tends to force the latter out of engagement with the teeth of the former. hen the neutral posi tion is reached, the tooth Z5 of the lever Zt' stands again in front of the arm Z of the yoke Z, and holds the latter in the normal position, as seen in Fig. 2.

In order to shift the yokeZ to the hand-setting position, as shown in Fig. 4, the lever 70 is provided with a tooth k which engages with the arm Z of the yoke Z, and as thclever 7a is drawn outwardly to the maximum outward position, this tooth 7.2 rotates the yokeZ until the pinion g meshes with the gear j, whereupon by rotating the stem-arbor A, the motion will be transmitted to the hand wheel 2' and the hands may be set. In this position of the lever 70 its boss 6 is turned until its pointed tooth is caught by the nose 0 of the locking-lever 0 which thereby holds it in this position against the tension of the spring f. lVhen the hands have been set and it is desired to restore the yoke Zto the normal position, the locking-lever c is tilted untilit frees the lever 7c, this being done by pressing inwardly on the handle or piece 3, which tilts the lever (3 against the tension of its spring (Z until it frees the lever It. I/Vhen freed,thc lever 70, under tension of its springf, snaps to the initial position, while the yoke Z under the feebler tension of its spring h moves to the normal position, where it is stopped by the engagement of its arm Z with the tooth 7c of the lever 70.

In operation, the outer arm of the lever Z6 is drawn outwardly until the locking-lever-c looks it in the winding position, whereupon the stem-arbor A will be turned until the main spring is completely rewound, when the cam-wheel C will automatically unlock the lever 70 by releasing the locking-lever 0 The lever 71; will then be returned to the normal position by its springf, thereby throwing the winding mechanism out of engagement with the spring-gear g and into the normal position. To set the hands of the watch, the lever 70 will be drawn to the extreme outward position, thereby throwing the winding mechanism into engagement with the hand-setting gear j. When the hands are set, the user will restore the parts to the normal position by pressing inwardly on the piece 8, thereby releasing the lever Za, which will return to the initial position, thereby permitting the winding mechanism to move to the normal position under tension of its spring h.

It will be understood that I do not limit myself to the exact construction and arrangement shown and described as the preferred form of my invention, since the mechanical details and arrangement of parts can be variously modified as choice, circumstances, or the judgment of those skilled in the art may dictate, without departing from the essential feature of my invention.

/Vhat I claim is, in stem winding and setting mechanisms for watches, the following IOC defined novel features and combinations, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, namely:

1. In a stem-winding watch, the combination with the main-spring having winding gear 9 and the stem arbor A, of winding mechanism consisting of the gear g driven from the arbor A, pinion g meshing with gear g, and movable yoke Z carrying the former, pivoted axially of gear 9, and adapted when moved to bring pinion g into engagement with gear g to'wind the main spring, and means for controlling the position of said winding mechanism consisting of the lever is engaging the arm Z of yoke Z and adapted when operated to move the latter on its axis, and a lock for said lever consisting of the stop lever c engaging it, and cam b operated bya moving part of the watch and constructed to free said lock.

2. In a Watch the combination with the main spring winding gearg the hand setting gearj, and the stem arbor, of movable pivoted yoke Z having arm Z, gear g and pinion 9 carried thereon, driven from the stem and adapted to engage successively with said gears g or j when the yoke Z is moved, spring h tending to move said plate toward gear 9*, lever 70 engaging arm Z and constructed when in one position to prevent yoke Z from moving toward gear 9 when partially moved to permit its movement toward the latter, and when further moved to move said yoke toward gear 7', whereby the position of pinion 9 can be controlled, and spring f tending to move said lever toward the initial position, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a watch the combination with the main spring winding gear g the hand setting gear j, and the stem arbor, of movable pivoted yoke Z having arm Z, gear g and pinion 9 carried thereon, driven from the stem and adapted to engage successivelywith said gears g or j when the yoke Z is moved, spring 7L tending to move said yoke toward gear 9 lever is engaging arm Z and constructed when in one position to prevent yoke Z from moving toward gear y when partially moved to permit its movement toward the latter, and when further moved to move said yoke toward gear j, whereby the position of pinion can be controlled, and spring f tending to move said lever toward the initial position, stop-lever c engaging said lever 70 for locking it in position, cam-wheel O for releasing said lever 0 and wheel B on the spring arbor for moving cam-wheel 0, whereby at a predetermined time said lever 0 is released and said lever is may be moved to the initial position, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

NATHAN SILBERBERG.

Witnesses:

BENNO SILBERBERG, HENRY H. LABHART. 

